Burning
by Aireon Maris
Summary: Nothing like a showdown with a Big Bad. Seventh and final in the Spike and Buffy in Europe series.


Burning

Nothing like a good old showdown with a Big Bad.

Seventh and final in the Spike and Buffy in Europe series.

The wall surrounding the villa were made of stone and easily scaled. Buffy landed in a crouch and looked around for Spike. The platinum-haired vampire blended with the shadows except for the gleam of his ice blue eyes.

"Ready?" she murmured. She saw the flash of white teeth as he grinned wolfishly.

"Always ready for a scrap, luv," he replied in a sharp, London accent. Shoulder-to-shoulder, they advanced towards the house. Inside waited the vampire that had kidnapped them, tortured Spike, and threatened to feed on Buffy. Ampelio had no idea what he had gotten himself into.

They slipped around until they found a side door. Spike pressed his ear against the wood, trying to hear anything on the other side. Entrance was a matter of simply breaking the lock; it wasn't meant to stand against vampire strength. Once inside, the paused to listen, or in Spike's case, scent the air. He pointed down the hallway and Buffy nodded.

The first two vampires they encountered went down quietly, exploding into dust around the stakes driven into their hearts. "You know we're probably going to have to kill every vampire in the whole place," Buffy whispered, peering around a corner. It was clear.

"Won't hear me complaining," Spike muttered back. He followed Buffy down the corridor, walking backwards a few steps to make sure they weren't being followed.

A vampire startled them by stepping out of a room into the hallway. Buffy reacted with instincts honed over years of slaying and kicked him into the wall. He roared in anger and lunged at the petite blonde. Buffy slid out of his way at the last minute, sending him barreling into Spike's waiting arms. Spike swung a left hook into the vampire's jaw, snapping his head back. The vampire growled and drove his fist into Spike's stomach.

Spike vamped out and hissed through his fangs at his opponent. He grabbed the vampire by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. "Stake!" he yelled at Buffy. She slipped in, slamming her wooden weapon into the vampire's chest. Spike lost his balance when their enemy disappeared, forcing him to catch himself against the wall.

"Think anyone heard that?" Buffy asked, her hazel-green eyes sparkling in excitement. She was _so_ enjoying having her Slayer powers back. Spike bared his fangs.

"I hope so," he growled. A door slammed open and three more vampires burst into the hall. Buffy lifted her stake.

"Wish granted."

The heavy, double wooden doors to the large office burst open, revealing two figures standing on the threshold, one tall and slender, the other short and slender. They strode into the room side by side, their movements fluid and confident.

"Ah, welcome mio amicos," Ampelio greeted. The Italian vampire stood beside the grand fireplace, dressed in his customary black. "I was afraid you would not make it. I have been expecting you."

"Yeah, well your cronies apparently weren't," Buffy said dryly. "But don't worry, housekeeping can take care of them with a Dustbuster."

"Ah, qullo bello, what a feast you must be," Ampelio said, shaking his head. "Your scent is quite heady, like a good wine. I am surprised my friend Spike has resisted this long."

Spike, still wearing his game face, paced toward his friend-turned-enemy while Buffy circled around the perimeter of the room. "I've had enough of your prattle, Ampelio," Spike growled. "Let's get this over with."

Ampelio sighed and addressed Buffy again. "You will have to forgive Spike, signora. He is quite impatient at times. You know how those English are."

"Americans aren't really too long on the patience, either," Buffy retorted, hefting her stake. Without warning, she struck, driving straight for the heart. Ampelio blocked her blow and struck her across the chest. She landed on the desk and rolled off, scattering the objects resting thereon.

Spike closed with the other vampire, aiming an upper cut to Ampelio's jaw that Ampelio easily blocked before retaliating. Buffy got to her feet and circled the desk, watching the two vampires trade blows. Seeing an opening, she dove in, again aiming for the heart.

Ampelio was a blur in motion, dodging Buffy's strike and countering Spike's blow. He kicked Spike into a bookcase, which toppled over and pinned Spike underneath it. Then he was on Buffy with a vengeance.

She had rarely fought vampires that came close to her level of competance. In fact, she had fought exactly three: the Master, Angel, and Spike. Now she had to put Ampelio on that list. Every move she made, he was there to block. He kicked the stake out of her hand with a force that numbed her fingers. She got in several good blows to his face and stomach before his fist connected with her cheek hard enough to shatter a normal person's bones. Buffy hit the ground, seeing stars.

He grabbed her by her shoulder and shirt and threw her across the room. She tumbled into a marble pedestal; the heavy statue displayed on top struck her head, splitting open her skin. Blood poured into her eyes, temporarily blinding her.

"I am disapointed, signora Slayer," Ampelio said as he stalked towards her. She blinked away the blood and bright flashes, but her head felt like it was smashed to pieces. She got to her feet a little unsteadily and looked around for a weapon.

"I had heard you were more…formidible," Ampelio continued. He came within striking distance and his arm flashed out. Buffy jerked away and the blow didn't land. Instead, Ampelio feld up a finger coated in her blood. He stuck the finger in his mouth, savoring the flavor.

"But this, yes, this is satisfying. You do know that your dear friend Spike has killed two Slayers, do you not?" They began circling each other warily. "Again I do not understand how he could resist the lure of your blood."

Buffy was seriously fed up with this pompous windbag. She launched herself towards him in a blinding series of punches, gritting out with each strike, "Because. He. Loves. Me!" Her hands found a stone vase with convenient handles; she swung it up and clobbered Ampelio across the head, sending the vampire flying. She grabbed her stake and went after him, straddling his chest as she prepared to stake him.

Ampelio grinned up at her. "What an interesting concept." He thrust his body upwards, throwing Buffy forward and off-balance. In a flash, their positions were reversed and she was on the bottom, her stake gone and Ampelio's fangs inches from her face. "I wonder. If Spike can love, can his heart also break?"

Buffy cried out in pain and horror as Ampelio bit deep into her neck, struggling uselessly against the weight of him on top of her body. She could feel warmth sliding down her skin, blood draining from the wound. She became light-headed, even the pain fading.

Then the weight and pain disappeared as a light coating of dust settled over her, and Spike's face hovered above her, looking human and very concerned. "Buffy? Slayer, can you hear me?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, clapping a hand to her neck to stem the bleeding. "Owch."

"It's not that bad," he assured her, his nostrils flaring at the scent of her warm blood sliding through her fingers. "Um, wait here. I'll be right back." He got to his feet and fled the room. He was true to his word and returned a few minutes later with a wet towel. He gently cleaned the blood from her face, neck and hands, holding the material to her wounds until the bleeding stopped. "We'd better get you back to the apartment and bandage you up," he said.

"Good idea," Buffy agreed, allowing him to help her to her feet. She winced as she took her first step. It hadn't been the first time she had been fed upon, and now she had another scar to add to the ones she already had.

Spike gently taped the gauze in place over the bite wound, running his fingers lightly over her skin as he dropped his hands. "So," he said quietly. "That's taken care of."

"Yeah," Buffy said, matching his tone. She reached over and entwined her fingers with his, pulling his hand into her lap. "I forgot to thank you for saving my life. I guess we're even now, huh?"

"I guess so," he replied. Then he cleared his throat. "You know, about what we were talking about earlier…" he trailed off. A smile grew on Buffy's face. She got up from where she sat on the bed beside him and moved to sit in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Yes, about that," she said suggestively, lowering her face to kiss him. Spike leaned back, a serious expression on his face. Buffy paused, confused. "What is it?"

"I need to hear you say it," he said. "Say it and mean it."

Buffy's face grew serious, as well. "Okay." She took a deep breath. "I want you to watch my back, Spike. I want you to protect me and take care of me. I want to wake up next to you every day for the rest of my life. I love you."

"I love you, too," he replied, his voice husky. He buried his fingers in her hair, avoiding her injury, and pulled her mouth down to meet his. In the small part of his mind that could still think, he remembered what he had told Buffy on the bout over here. Life, indeed, couldn't get any better than this.


End file.
